Hatch construction for railway cars



Oct. 7, 1952 J. 5. LUNDVALL 2,612,849

' HATCH CONSTRUCTION FORRAILWAY CARS 2 SHEETS.SHEET 1' Filed May 27,1949 IATTORNEYS.

O 1952 J. s. LUNDVALL 2,612,849

HATCH CONSTRUCTION FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed May 27, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2INV%J Patented Oct. 7, 1952 HATCH CONSTRUCTION FOR RAILWAY CARS John S.Lundvall, Park Ridge, 111., assignor to Union Asbestos & Rubber Company,Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application May 27, 1949,Serial No. 95,705

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a hatch construction for railway cars and moreparticularly to the construction of hatches in refrigerator cars.

It has heretofore been the customary practice in the construction ofrefrigerated railway cars to form hatch openings adjacent the ends ofthe car between carlines extending from one side of the car to theother. One construction of this type is shown, for example, in thepatent to Bonsall, No. 2,037,115. Such constructions including carlinesare relatively expensive and are diflicult to install since they must bebuilt into the car at the time the car is constructed. Furthermore, thisconstruction provides a continuous metal heat conduction path from theinterior to the exterior of the car around the hatch opening.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a hatchconstruction in which the necessity for carlines or other relativelyexpensive supports is eliminated.

Another object is to provide a hatch construction which is directlysupported by the side and end walls of the car and by a beam extendingacross the car spaced from the end wall. According to one importantfeature of the invention, the beam may be formed by a header at the topof a bulkhead in the car or by a separate strip attached to the headerso that the bulkhead contributes substantially to the support of thehatch construction.

Still another object is to provide a hatch construction which can easilybe assembled in or disassembled from a car after the remainder of thecar is completed.

A further object is to provide a hatch construction in which an innersupporting plate or sheet serves as a ceiling for the ice compartment ofthe car.

A still further object is to provide a hatch construction in which boththe inner and outer edges of the hatch opening are metal lined, but themetal is interrupted in the central portion of the opening to interruptthe heat conducting path. In one desirable construction the outer liningis formed by an inwardly turned flange on the roof sheet of the car.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be morereadily apparent when read in connection with the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1 is a'partial longitudinal section with parts inelevation of a refrigerator car embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the supporting plate or sheet partiallyillustrating the fastening mechanism for the frame.

The invention is illustratedin connection with a more or lessconventional refrigerator car having insulated side walls iii, aninsulated end wall ll covered with a corrugated metal sheet I2terminating at its upper edge in a horizontal flange l3, and aninsulated roof IA. The roof is covered with metal roof sheets l5connected at their abutting edges by flanged connections [6 and the endmost roof sheet I! being formed over and secured to the flange [3. Thesheet I! is formed with a pair of laterally spaced openings therethroughregistering with edge openings in the top of the car and which aredefined by inwardly turned tapering flanges l8.

Within the car, as shown, there is a transverse bulkhead 19 formed byupwardly extending beams 2| covered throughout a portion of their heightby a cover 22 of planks or the like. At their upper ends the beams areconnected to a header 23 formed by flanged plates fitting together backto back with the flanges thereof fitting over and secured to the topends of the beams. At their upper edges the plates are turned over asindicated at 24 to underlie the.

roof of the car and to assist in supporting it. At

their opposite ends the plates forming the header The car constructionas so far defined may be a completed before installation of the hatchconstruction of the present invention which may be completely fabricatedapart from the car and installed therein at any convenient time. Asshown, the hatch construction of the invention comprises a supportingplate or sheet 26 which is preferably formed of relatively heavy gaugesheetmetal and which has an opening 21 in its central portion. Theopening is defined by an upwardly extending flange 28 which flaresoutward at its upper edge at the same angle as the flange 18 so thatwhen the parts are assembled the flanges l3 and 28 will lie inalignment. At its periphery the plate or sheet 26 has its edges turneddown to form flanges 29 throughout its entire periphery. The flanges 29serve both to strengthen the sheet and as a mounting means therefor aswill appear more fully hereinafter.

sides of the car, being deeper toward the center of the car'than towardits sides.

At their upper edges the strips 3| areshaped to interfit with thefla'nge18 when the parts are assembled. The strips 31 may be held in place inany convenient manner and, as shown, are

secured around the flange 28 by meansof .a pair a of U-shaped metalstraps 32 which are turned outwardly at their ends, as shown at 33, andheld together by bolts 34. Due to'the' fla're of: the.

flange 28 and the complementary' shapeof-the strips 3 I, the strips willbe held securely in place"- on the flange once the straps 32lare:.tightenedz around them.

With the strips 3| assembled on the platoon sheet 26, it may bemountedin the car simply by raising. it from t the interior :of the car.into as sembled position in the hatch opening. the":

assembly is raised the upper edges of the'strips 3| will engagetheflangesJil and'the undersurfa-ces:

of the'roof sheet"; as-shown.-- Itlwill be noted thatin this. positionthe iedgesof the flangesvfli and 28 are separated 'sothatthere is aniIllJEIIIlp-e tion'in the metal? heat conductingipathifrom :the

interior .tothe'exterior 'of the'car." Toiprovidera smooth'surface onthe interior of the hatch open'- ing, the strips-31 are formedtwithiridges 35 .pro-

jecting therefrom andxof a size to .flll'lthe space For mounting. the;hatch construction in the car;'it' is necessarypnly Itofraise the plate26 and frame 3| upward into the positionishownfroni the interior "of thecar. J When: in position',the flanges :zs on theplate will lie againstthe car end wall at one side of the plate and the: car sidewall at anadjacent side of the plates. The forward flange :willlie against ananglestrip33 which 'is securedito the: top of the header. over -the: bulk--head. The flanges at-the end and side walls of the car- "are securedthereto by'lag screws 3? or the liketo fasten the plate '26 securelyin'the car. The 1 flange atthe forward edgeiis' bolted. to the:

angle strip"36 by. bolts '38 securely to, support the J forward edgeof=the1plate:- Itwillbe noted that the -strip136:rnay bexrelativelylight sinc'ex'the major part of the strengthrequired-is furnished by theheader andzbyitheibulkhead itself. .Each

of the pl-atesz26 is of approximatelyhalf the width' of thecar, as seenvin Figure 2,*and two plates are mounted in. side by. sidearelationshipto fill the full width-of .the car. When so .assemble'dythe flanges onthe plates adjacentto thecenter of the canabutxeach other and .areconnected .by means-- of bolts. 39.; In: this way bothof the-hatchconstructions are securely .and .rigidly supported .in the canwithoutrequiring any complicated .or ex.-

pensive carlinestructuresias heretofore required.

If it. should become necessary at anytime: to. remove theihatchconstruction, thiscan easily be donersimplyby removingthescrews3iandthe.

bolts. 38:andr39:iand droppingthe entire hatch construction: into .the'rcar interior.

Thereafter the hatch constructionmay'be repaired and :re-

placed.:: All.repair :operations ton the remainderof the car adjacentits .endmaybe accomplished without requiringdismantling. of any other.por-..

tions of. the car.

To close the hatchopening, the usual insulated.

closure '.or plug 4 l is provided having a peripheral.v

flange, .42 which overlies the peripheral portion.

Of the flange [8. A sealing: ring-.-4 3of resilient sealing material maybe carried by the flange 42 to seal it securely against the flange l8,and if desired, the body of the plug may have a relatively tight fltagainst the flanges l8 and 28 and the separating ridge 35.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described indetail herein, it will be understoodthat this is illustrative only andis not to be taken as a definition of the scope of the invention,reference being had for this purpose to theappended claims...

What is claimed'is:

1. A hatch construction fora railway car comprisingwa non-metallic frameformed with a tapered opening therethrough, an outer metal coversheet-formed with a downwardly tapered flange extending into .the frameopening in contact with the inner tapered wall thereof and terminatingintermediate the upper and lower edges of the opening, and an innermetal cover sheet having an upwardly flaring flange; extending into.the'

frame opening: incontact with theinner'tapered Wall thereof-andterminating in spaced relation: to the-:flangeon the outer cover sheet,said flanges.

being aligned and forming a tapered surface to receive a tapereduclosuremember, said. none metallic frame havingxan inwardly projecting.

ridge in its .central' portion. lying :.between the flangesand'lformingwith' the flanges a substantially'. smooth surface.

2. In a railwaycarthavingtop; end and'side' Wails, a hatchiconstruction.comprising a metal I supporting plate mounted adjacent the car: end 1wall and formedwith a centraltopening therein, an upwardly extendingfla'nge around the open-' ing, a non-metallic frame supported on theplate around the flange, a beam extending across thecar parallel to andspaced from its end wall-,and

means securing the plate to'the car endand side Walls and to the beam.

3. In a railway carhaving'top-end and side wallsya hatch constructioncomprising a metal supporting plate mounted adjacent the car end walland formed \vith'a central opening therein, an upwardly extendingflangearound the opening, a non-metallic frame supported on the plate aroundthe flange, a beam extending across the car parallel to and spaced fromits end wall, and

downwardly turned flanges-at the peripheryof the sheet engaging andsecured to the 'end'and side walls'of the car and the beam:

l. In a railwayoarhaving toppend' andside' Wa11s,'a hatch constructioncomprising a metal supporting plate mounted adjacent the car end wallandformed witha central opening therein,

an upwardly extending flange around the 'opening; a non-metallic framesupported on the'platc around the flange,. a beam extending across'thecar parallelto andspacecl from" its end wall,

means securing the plate to the .car end'and "side walls and. to thebeam, and a roof sheet on the car having an openingthereinregisteringwith the'frame and defined by a downwardly turned flange fltting intothe'frame.:

I 5. ma railway car havin'g'top; end an'dside Walls and formed with apair of hatch'openings in itsjtop adjacent its end, a hatchconstruction.

ing with one of the hatch openingsand defined by' an -upwardly extendingflange, a non-metallic. frame fitting around each flange, a beam extending..across the car parallel to ands'pacedfrom.

the end wall and engaging the edges of the plates, and means forconnecting the edges of the plates to the car end and side walls and thebeam, and to each other where they abut adjacent the center line of thecar.

6. In a railway car having top, end and side walls formed with a pair ofhatch openings in its top adjacent its end, a hatch constructioncomprising a pair of metal supporting plates lying side by side adjacentthe ear end and together spanning the full width of the car, each of theplates having a central opening therein registering with one of thehatch openings and defined by an upwardly extending flange, anonmetallic frame fitting around each flange, a beam extending acrossthe car parallel to and spaced from the end wall and engaging the edgesof the plates, and downwardly turned flanges at the edges of the plateoverlying and secured to the end and side walls of the car and the beamand with flanges on the two plates engaging and secured togetheradjacent to the center of the car.

7. In a railway car having top, end and side Walls and formed with apair of hatch openings in its top adjacent its end, a hatch constructioncomprising a pair of metal supporting plates lying side by side adjacentthe car end and together spanning the full width of the car, each of theplates having a central opening therein registering with one of thehatch openings and defined by an upwardly extending flange, anonmetallic frame fitting around each flange, a beam extending acrossthe car parallel to and spaced from the end wall and engaging the edgesof the plates, and means for connecting the edges of the plates to thecar end and side walls and the beam, and to each other where they abutadjacent the center line of the car, and a metal cover sheet over thetop of the car formed with openings register- 6 ing with the hatchopenings and having downwardly extending flanges projecting into theframes.

8. In a railway car having end and side walls, a top and a bulkheadextending across the car spaced from its end, a beam extending acrossthe car at the top of the car and supported at least in part by thebulkhead, a supporting plate extending between the end wall of the carand the beam at one side of the car and formed with a central opening,an upwardly extending flange around the opening, a frame supported bythe plate around the flange, and means securing the edge portions of theplate to the car end and side walls and the beam.

9. In a railway car having end and side walls, a top and a bulkheadextending across the car spaced from its end, a beam extending acrossthe car at the top of the car and supported at least in part by thebulkhead, a supporting plate ex tending between the end wall Of the carand the beam at one side of the car and formed with a central opening,an upwardly extending flange around the opening, a frame supper-ted bythe plate around the flange, and a downwardly turned flange at the edgesof the plate fitting against and secured to the car end and side wallsand the beam.

JOHN S. LUNDVALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent: I

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,047,133 Christianson et a1.July 7, 1936 2,309,237 Campbell Jan. 26, 1943

